A Lion In The Road

April 26

Read: Proverbs 26

“A Lion in The Road”

Good morning from Alajuelita, Costa Rica. The team has made it safely back into the city for the last leg of our service learning trip. The Lord has been so kind to us! We have learned a great deal, been able to serve, and thoroughly enjoyed our time with the missionaries in the rainforest. Prayers are appreciated for the last three days we are here! Now on to some morning devotions…

A lazy fool sees a problem, whines about it, and DOES NOTHING:

“The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!” (v.13)

Imagine this scene for a moment. If there truly is a lion in the road, it would be pretty obvious to all those around - hard to miss a lion! So the “sluggard” here is calling this out from someplace else… having been out to the road and then left. At first it seems like a kind thing right: Warning people about the potential danger out there? But the real question is what is going to be done about it. The fool - or “sluggard” - is the one who continuously says the same thing / complaint over and over again while doing nothing else about it. (cf. "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!” = same thing functionally.) In this way, the “sluggard” is of little help.

We have all met people who are “all talk”. The people of God are not to be this way! It is not enough just to “see” a problem…to “identify” a potentially dangerous situation. The deciding factor between a lazy fool and a wise child of God is ACTION. If we return to the example of the “sluggard” in v. 13, there IS something to be learned: It would be WISE to seek help if at all possible when given the prospect of fighting a “lion”. Turning from the street, to go and get someone else to come and help you fight the lion would be a GOOD THING. This is not what the sluggard did though… he simply left so that he could talk about it and avoid the real need which was FIGHTING OFF THE LION.

What do we do when we see a proverbial “lion” approaching? How do we respond when we see something that can devour a person roaming about the places where we normally walk and carry on? Do we just complain? Do we cry out to each other? Or do we take action to run off the “beast”? Talk is cheap… actions speak louder than words. It is not always popular to take action. It is not always popular to “fight the lion”. Some are so afraid of the battle that they would rather stay holed up like the sluggard. Let me tell you - it is better to fight the lion and carry some scars than remain safe and jack your jaws like a lazy-bum. Look at the biblical example given to us: David fought wild lions and bears as a boy while being a shepherd. (cf. 1 Sam 17:34) Paul fought off literal wild animals while ministering in Ephesus. (cf.1 Cor. 15:32) The people of God have been sent out like “sheep among wolves”. (cf.Matt 10:6) Jesus is our “good shepherd”, and good shepherds FIGHT OFF the wild animals - David did, Paul did, and Jesus DOES… so then - so do WE. (cf. Acts 20:29) We do not need more foolish sluggards to complain when they see the “lion in the streets” - we need GOOD SHEPHERDS who will take action. What will you do when the Lion comes? It is not wrong to identify the threat and seek help, but sooner or later we must face the “beast” without fear because the great and powerful shepherd - Jesus - is right beside us in the fight. Jesus will not be devoured by the “lion in the streets”… Jesus does carry some scars though from the “fight”! Love you guys. - JDP